Friday, June 28

No doing or running around. We stayed home.
{Except for a big day at the fair with mimi.}

Sometimes we even got dressed.

We spent days digging through toys

reading and playing with new birthday toys.

sitting in a box. making music.

making up games and scratching each others eyeballs out.

These boys love to be home.

Do you want to go to the park? library? walk?

"No thanks. I want to stay home."

So I had plans for the summer.

But I'm thinking we're gonna scrap the plans

and play it by ear and spend a lot more time at home.

Unless they are on the verge of killing each other.
Then I will run to the car, turn the AC on full blast,
and drive around.

Jack is teaching Joshy to fly.
{Such a great metaphor for life!}

"No Josh, You have to run and then jump..."

Very frustrating...

Um... are you ready for this?!?

The boys had their first official sleepover wat mimi and papa's house

together.

no kids for one whole lovely night!

don't hate.

And our big outing was to the fair with mimi...

Playing with boxes

{before a brawl breaks out}

More watercoloring while the boys play in the back.
I'm feeling a lot more freedom these days.
being able to do my thing while they do theirs
but we're still together.
It feels so good.
I'm a happier momma.

We are back on the budget wagon.
WE CAN DO HARD THINGS.
WE CAN DO THIS.
we will. we will. we will.
ack.

And back to art journaling.
Breathes life right into my soul.
Makes me so happy to be alive.
I'm so glad if you are joining me.
It 's all about the process.

3. I added a light orange wash to unify to piece.
A wash is just a little paint with a lot of water.
So I dip my paper towel in the paint, and then the water and spread it over the page.
Then I wipe off as much as I can.

4. After the wash I added some colored hearts with paint and some white scripted letters.

5. I added more paper scraps and hearts.

6. Finally I painted the big words in the verse.

First with white & brown paint...

then with different colored paint.

7. And I finished off the page with an extra fine point Sharpie.

Here are some details...

and here is my helper.

I don't love it. But it's done.

And that's just the way it happens sometimes.

Now go journal.

My goal is to finish this series in July!
{Just in time for the next series to start.}

And I couldn't believe how fun and exciting it was to get free art.
Lots of it. To see what everyone came up with.
Everyone's own style and ideas.
Life-giving.

Artfest was simply magical.
Not only did I get to meet weirdos like myself.
But I got to stay up until 3AM art journaling. together.
eating snacks and drinking wine and laughing our heads off
with strangers-turned -friends.
From all over the world.

Life-giving
is the best way I can describe it.

Anyway, I started thinking...
It was so fun to get free art. It made me giddy.
but it was also just as satisfying and happy-making
to give it away.

And I thought... what if the real world were like this?!?
What if we all carried around a little token of our art and gave it away.
At the gas station. At school. At Starbucks. At the playground.
I think the world would be a much happier place.
I know I would be a happier person.

I can already hear some of you already...
but I'm not artistic, blah, blah, blah.
It doesn't HAVE to be visual art, it can be whatever your gift happens to be.
And you have one. You have many, in fact.
It is the thing makes you come alive.
The thing that makes you think,
"Yep. I was made for this."

God created us to come alive when we give away our gifts.
Conversely, I believe that we start to wither when we ignore or
simply can't make time to use the gifts that have been entrusted to us.

I could go on and on, but I promise to stop.
I created this "Who You Really Are In Christ" to be a constant reminder to me
and to you and to the people you love.

It is truth that the world will never tell me,
but God wants me to know.
How wonderfully and beautifully made I am.
On purpose. in his image. for a purpose.
It is what my heart needs to hear.
Over and over and over again.

Please print it on some cardstock &send it to someone (or lots of someones) you love.
send it to your child or you spouse or just pin it up on a bulletin board.
send it to a missionary an or a soldier or a camper.
And look at it to remind you of the truth about who you are.

***Please note: This is for personal inspiration & use only.***
If you'd like to use it in any other capacity just email me.
I'm nice. I'll usually say yes to nonprofits.

Lots of love to you today my friend!
Thank you for stopping by.
Thank you for printing.
Thank you for sharing.
Now go give away your gifts!